A bright idea? Qualcomm creates smart chip for light bulbs to take on Philips Hue

Qualcomm has created an all-in-one chip module for the humble light bulb that means any company will be able to step into the Internet of Things arena by making and selling a connected lightbulb.

The module was unveiled at CES 2015 in Las Vegas and it provides companies that don't have a heritage in internet-connected devices a solution, as they will now be able to go to Qualcomm for an off-the-shelf offering.

Connected lighting has so far been dominated by Philips and it's Hue offering, however in recent months other companies such as Belkin, Elgato and a handful of Kickstarter-backed products have started entering the market.

Qualcomm's offering, which will be a partnership with a company called Lifx, will connect to its AllSeen / AllJoyn platform and it will have the ability to link up with other AllSeen powered devices in the home.

In the past, Qualcomm's AllSeen platform has seen a special chip placed in everything from speakers to picture frames and it could mean that your light bulb could seamlessly connect to your heating or even your hi-fi system.

Where Qualcomm is hoping this offering will succeed over current systems, is that you won't need a hub for the light to connect to. Instead, the light bulb will just be able to hop directly on the Wi-Fi network.

The company expects manufacturers to offer solutions ready for consumers by the end of the year.